Chapter 3

Qelharre was stunned as she looked at Lhynette. A Spell of Releasing was a spell of very high difficulty. It was the only known method to dispel a SoulSlayer. In effect, the spell released the Souls from their skeletal prison, rendering the SoulSlayer lifeless. She thought the only one capable of performing it, if even she knew it, was Khyrhyelle. Her look betrayed her thoughts.

"Khyrhyelle taught me. I have never performed it, though." She rummaged through her pack, trying to find the ingredients she needed. Her frayed nerves combined with the cold to make her hands shake badly. Twice she dropped necessary components. She finished mixing up her potion in a vial and looked at Qelharre and FireQueen. "I think I am ready."

"Goddess watch over and protect you," Qelharre whispered.

The dragon had not spoken since they landed. While the SoulSlayers could not harm her much, she was still in a dark mood. FireQueen was a very proud beast and was not accustomed to failing on a mission. What she offered Lhynette was no help. "Your spell, should it work, is only sufficient for one of the Slayers. There are at least two."

"I know. But we have got to try something." Goddess, she thought, I am scared enough as it is and…

On the periphery of her vision, Lhynette glimpsed the eyes of burning flames that glowed eerily in the night. The SoulSlayers had appeared. Lhynette, though shaken, managed to get herself into a semi-trance state and a bright aura enveloped the white robe. Meanwhile the dragon breathed fire at the Slayers, trying to buy time if nothing else. But they took no notice. Both Slayers pointed at Lhynette at which time she threw the vial. It burst in front of them releasing a multi-colored gas. That seemed to stun them momentarily.

Now! Lhynette thought, but the Words would not come. "Damn… damm it… damn!" She began to feel the pull of the Slayers. Her fear mounted. She was losing herself. Just then the image of the dragon supplanted the fear in her mind. She regained her concentration. The Words began to flow. But at some point she lost consciousness.